In India, as per union health ministry, only 0.58 people per one million donate organs. The health ministry has accepted that there is an acute shortage of organ donors. So the ministry has sent a proposal to finance ministry for providing social support to the families

As per the proposal, the ‘Social Support’ will not be given in cash. The government will sponsor medical or education of the cadaver donor dependents.

Union Health Ministry has sent the proposal to the finance ministry for the approval. The ministry had called for suggestions from all the states.

November 27th is celebrated National Organ Donation Day in the country. Giving a major boost to the cadaver #OrganDonation awareness campaign in the country, the health ministry has proposed Rs 5 lakhs as a ‘Social Support’ to the donor families.

Dr Vasanti Ramesh, Director, National Organ Tissue and Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) while speaking to the press said, “The social support will not be given in the form of cash. The government will sponsor the medical or the education of the dependent of the cadaver donor. The draft of the proposal has been sent to the finance ministry for consideration.”

Dr Ramesh further added, “The proposal also states that the hospital will also get Rs 1 lakh for maintaining the brain-dead donor till the organs are not retrieved.”

Experts and people who are working towards spreading the awareness about organ donation have welcomed the proposal. In India, as per union health ministry, only 0.58 people in one million donate organs. The health ministry has accepted that there is an acute shortage of organ donors in India.

While speaking to My Medical Mantra, about health ministries proposal, Dr Ravi Wankhede, Secretary of the Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee, Nagpur, said, “If the proposal is accepted, then it will definitely be useful to the poor families of the organ donor.”

The union and the state government are implementing various programs in order to boost and spread awareness about cadaver organ donation in the country.

Nilesh Mandlewala, President of the NGO Donate Life in Gujrat said, “This is a very good decision which has been taken by the government. The families who donate organs will surely be benefited from this decision. If the sole breadwinner in the family donates their organs, then the family will receive the social benefits.”

Yogesh Mule, the father of five-year-old Aaradhya Mule, who underwent a heart transplant last year said, “This will definitely help the families who are in need. But, my humble appeal is the family should not take a decision to donate organs, as they are receiving social support. But, they should selflessly come forward and donate organs.”